Adapter assembly for heaters and the like

Abstract

An adapter assembly for connecting a control unit to a heater. The control unit has wires that connect to terminals on the heater. The adapter assembly includes a first tubular body portion, a second tubular body portion and at least one locking bolt. The first tubular body portion is attached to the heater. The second tubular body portion is attached to the control unit. At least a portion of the first tubular body portion is retained inside the second tubular body portion. The locking bolt attaches the second tubular body portion to the first tubular body portion by inserting through a hole in the second tubular body portion. The present invention also includes an adapter assembly with the reverse attachments. Specifically, the first tubular body portion (retained inside the second tubular body portion) may be attached to the control unit instead of the heater. Similarly, the second tubular body portion may be attached to the heater instead of the control unit.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. An adapter assembly for connecting a control unit to a heater, the control unit having wires that connect to terminals on the heater, the adapter assembly comprising: 
       a first tubular body portion attached to the heater;  
       a second tubular body portion attached to the control unit, at least a portion of the first tubular body portion being retained inside the second tubular body portion, the second tubular portion having at least one circumferential slot therethrough; and  
       at least one locking bolt attaching the second tubular body portion to the first tubular body portion, the locking bolt inserted through the circumferential slot in the second tubular body portion, enabling the control unit to be rotated with respect to the first tubular body portion when installing and attaching the second tubular body portion to the first tubular body portion.  
     
     
       2. The adapter assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first tubular body portion has at least one threaded hole to receive the at least one locking bolt. 
     
     
       3. The adapter assembly of  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of threaded holes circumscribes an outer surface of the first tubular body portion, at least one of the plurality of threaded holes receiving the at least one locking bolt. 
     
     
       4. The adapter assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first tubular body portion has an inner flange for attaching to the heater. 
     
     
       5. The adapter assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the second tubular body portion has an inner flange for attaching to the control unit. 
     
     
       6. A heating apparatus, comprising: 
       a heater having at least one heating element and at least one power wire protruding therefrom;  
       a first body portion attached to the heater;  
       a second body portion attached to a heater control unit that is electrically coupled to said at least one power wire, at least a portion of the first body portion being retained inside the second body portion; and  
       at least one locking bolt attaching the second body portion to the first body portion, the locking bolt inserted through a hole in the second body portion.  
     
     
       7. The heating apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the hole in the second body portion is a slot that enables the control unit to be selectively radially oriented with respect to the first body portion. 
     
     
       8. The heating apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the first body portion has at least one threaded hole to receive said at least one locking bolt. 
     
     
       9. The heating apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein a plurality of threaded holes circumscribes an outer surface of the first body portion, at least one of the plurality of threaded holes receiving the at least one locking bolt. 
     
     
       10. The heating apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the first body portion has an inner flange attached to the heater. 
     
     
       11. The heating apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the second body portion has an inner flange attached to the control unit. 
     
     
       12. An apparatus for heating a medium supported in the interior of a tank that has an exterior, the apparatus comprising: 
       a heating element attachable to a portion of the tank such that the heating element extends into the interior of the tank and at least one power wire protrudes out of the exterior of the tank;  
       a control unit electrically coupled to said at least one power wire, the control unit coupled to an adapter that is affixed to the heating element such that the adapter permits the control unit to be selectively rotated relative to the heating element to one of a plurality of positions; and  
       a retainer on the adapter to retain the control unit in said one of a plurality of positions.